Comments on: Oliver Stone’s revenge.

By: Jeff (the mild-mannered one)

Jeff (the mild-mannered one) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:34:12 +0000

Looking back over Presidential endgames –

Kennedy — well, yeah.

Johnson — rambling monologues in darkened Oval Office, rioters in the street.

Nixon — rambling monologues in darkened Oval Office, impeachment committee in the hall.

Ford — Poland is free? Inflation, swine flu, pratfalls; no scandals.

Carter — Bert Lance, malaise, recriminations, Kennedy ego.

Reagan — Iran-Contra, the birth of the departing staffer bio, Nancy with astrology charts in the East Wing.

Bush 41 — Checks watch, asks about check-out.

Clinton — Move on.

Bush 43 — Alberto.

Point being they just don’t go gentle into that good night. Ford managed to avoid exit scandals more than anyone on this list (JFK’s came long after, but will last in memory), but both parties have trouble making a clean exit from the stage.

By: moe99

moe99 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:32:12 +0000

We got Wag the Dog via Netflix. Just like Z. Easy to order, hard to sit through the latter.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:50:33 +0000

Mary, yes. My kids were right here and that averted much trauma. Husband was out and the cellphones didn’t work — not so much fun, that. Glad everyone is OK at your end!

By: Jeff (the mild-mannered one)

Jeff (the mild-mannered one) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:02:15 +0000

I second Kirk’s comment, and [koff] i voted for W. the second time, eyes wide open. Could have voted otherwise, didn’t, ain’t losing sleep over it. But if the Stone movie is anywhere near as entertainingly interesting about the intersection of politics and people as “Primary Colors” was, i’ll go. Oliver did ok with “Platoon” but it was no “Deer Hunter” or “ApocNow,” and “JFK” was embarrassing on so many levels i skipped “Nixon” and then was startled by “WTC.” I love Ron Rosenbaum’s take on Oliver Stone (google the two names in quotes and check out the story, involving urinals and lots of yelling).

What i don’t get is that i went looking for “Wag the Dog” the other day, and can’t find it on DVD anywhere, and don’t want to plug in the cords for the VHS again.

If you really want a view on politics and people and procedure, get “The Milagro Beanfield War,” which is the world in picturesque miniature.

By: Dexter

Dexter — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:22:53 +0000

Del…caught that film late last week on cable. John Turturro as Pete was great. Almost as good as Roberto Benigni and Tom Waits and John Lurie were in “Down by Law” (1986) in the prison-escape-big-adventure genre.

By: LAMary

LAMary — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:17:06 +0000

Catherine
We don’t have radio or TV here in my office and the phones, cell phones and internet didn’t work for what seemed a long time. It seemed long because my kids are home and I’m ten miles away. I didn’t know then where the epicenter was or how large the quake was. I confess I started crying when I was finally able to reach them and find out everything was ok.

By: del

del — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:46:53 +0000

Spelled prosaic right but messed up sycophant a few days ago. Is it misspell or mispell?

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:37:47 +0000

Mary & Danny, I definitely felt the quake here in Pasadena. The curious thing I think y’all might find interesting: I didn’t turn on the TV (so-called) news to find out the magnitude, epicenter, damage, etc. I just went right to the USGS website, which was updated within 5 minutes. I don’t need video of grocers in their shops with push brooms and some broken jars. This might be one of the things killing the MSM — folks don’t need interpretation and talking heads when the facts are readily available.

By: Danny

Danny — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:26:37 +0000

del….you mispelled prozac.

Sue. Chill. Nevermind all that. This is why I am loved.

By: del

del — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:15:24 +0000

Agree with Dexter. The deeper and more troubling question is how W. got re-elected. Forever changes the tenor of the debate over the merits of our “democracy.”
Sue, don’t let Danny get your goat. He rebuts with humor when the prosaic truth proves problematic. Give him points for creativity. Soggy underpants? Maybe Danny liked George Clooney’s portrayal as one of the Soggy Bottom Boys in O Brother, Where Art Thou?